Balance Technology, Inc.

Robert A Cooper

Thomas P Plunkett

A processing arrangement for a brake element for a vehicle employs a rotational support, such as a precision collet arrangement, for supporting the brake element rotatably about a fixed axis of rotation. The brake element and the spindle are rotated by a drive arrangement that causes the brake element to rotate about the axis of rotation while a rotary encoder that is coupled to the drive arrangement produces a rotation data signal containing rotational information responsive to the rotation of the brake element. Residual unbalances are measured by the production of an unbalance data signal that is responsive to forces that are themselves responsive to a residual unbalance of the brake element. In addition, a surface dimension detector produces a surface dimension data electrical signal that is responsive to a dimensional characteristic of a surface of the brake element. A surface defect detector that typically is in the form of an eddy current probe, produces a surface defect data electrical signal responsive to the presence of a predetermined surface defect of the brake element. The various data signals are correlated in a signal processor to produce rotationally a correlated signal responsive to the rotation data signal, the unbalance data electrical signal, the surface dimension data signal, and the surface defect data electrical signal. Data corresponding to the residual unbalance, the dimensions, and the surface condition of the brake element is presented on a computer monitor and can be stored for quality control purposes and for use in other automated systems, such unbalance correction equipment.

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Robert A Cooper